Venezuelans Demand Elections and Return of Opposition Leader
On Thursday, thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets in Caracas and other cities, protesting against the country’s socialist government. They called for presidential elections and the safe return of María Corina Machado, the anti-socialist opposition leader who has been unable to return to Venezuela.
The protests were organized by Vente Venezuela, the country’s only mainstream center-right party, which has faced significant persecution under Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Machado, who leads the party, had to leave Venezuela in December 2025, assisted by the Trump administration, to accept a Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.
The Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional reported that the march in Caracas began in the afternoon near the Central University of Venezuela. A diverse group, including politicians, students, and family members of political prisoners, marched toward Plaza Venezuela, demanding a timeline for new presidential elections, the return of Machado, and the release of political prisoners.
Infobae mentioned that the protest was marked by a surprisingly low presence of Venezuelan security forces, unlike events earlier in the month. In addition to Caracas, similar peaceful protests occurred in Valencia, Maracay, San Cristóbal, and Maracaibo, just about a month after a previous demonstration in the capital.
“They tell us to be patient, that this is just the way things are. But we will get organized, and next year we’re going to have presidential elections and get María Corina Machado elected president,” said Carlos Fernández, the national youth coordinator for Vente Venezuela.
He added, “We won’t let the people who destroyed the country stay in power. In 2027, we’ll lead this country out of darkness and into a brighter future.”
Machado and Vente Venezuela have consistently called for free and fair elections, proposing July 24, 2027, as a potential “Liberation Day.” This date is significant, as it coincides with the birthday of Venezuela’s founding father, Simón Bolívar. It also counters Maduro’s last presidential election, which was held on July 28, 2024, intentionally chosen to coincide with Hugo Chávez’s birthday.
The protest also commemorated the third anniversary of the Venezuelan opposition’s primary election on October 22, 2023, where Machado achieved a decisive victory but was barred by the regime from running against Maduro in 2024.
Seventy-seven-year-old engineer Jaime Domínguez shared his reason for attending the protest with El Nacional. He lost his contracting business when the regime seized a construction project. “My demands are for democracy. With democracy, everything else flows. But living under dictatorship and control, it’s a nightmare,” he lamented.
In recent months, Venezuelan opposition representatives have been in negotiations with the socialist regime, supported by the U.S. State Department, aiming for a democratic transition.
Dinorah Figuera, who leads the opposition’s negotiating team, spoke with Breitbart News, highlighting the need to rebuild Venezuela’s Supreme Court, electoral bodies, political parties, and secure the release of political prisoners. The Maduro regime has filled the Supreme Court and National Electoral Council (CNE) with loyalists, undermining the opposition significantly.
“We need a credible National Electoral Council that ensures people’s votes are respected,” Figuera emphasized during her interview.
This week marked the third round of negotiations between the opposing sides. U.S. State Department spokesman Thomas Pigott noted progress towards selecting new Supreme Court justices.
Figuera met with “acting President” Delcy Rodríguez recently, who acknowledged the negotiations and indicated a new round would be scheduled for November. Rodríguez’s brother, José Rodríguez, is leading the regime’s delegation.
Although the protests proceeded without major incidents, Vente Venezuela reported that the Bolivarian National Police detained seven individuals involved in the protest, also confiscating sound trucks used during the demonstration.
“We alert the international community about this attack against Venezuelans who supported the peaceful protest,” stated the organization on social media.
It’s striking, really—the situation has become so complex. There’s this ongoing struggle between hope and frustration, but amidst it all, the people are still fighting for change.
